Check the exrx.net exercise directory if you want to know more about these exercises or you want pointers as to how to do them - I've always found this site really helpful And I'd stay well away from Smith machines (before anyone hits me, my personal preference only!), because you just don't get a full range of movement. You could, instead of lunges, also find yourself a step aerobics kind of step, if it has several settings put it on highest and step up and down (stepping onto the platform with both feet) while holding dumbells.

Before starting either workout I'd do a 10 minute warm-up on a treadmill, Xtrainer or rower. You're not training for endurance then, just to give your muscles advance warning that work is aboutto be started As for the number of sets and reps it appears that for endurance sports 2X10 is generally recommended, although again I'm sure opinions differ on this one.

And I wouldn't want to do a heavy lower body workout one or two days before you're planning a long run, simply because DOMS would make that run a damn sight less enjoyable

Hope this helps, and I'd be really interested to see other people's opinions

My darling girl, when are you going to understand that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage. - Aunty Francis

I used to do 4x/week routine: 2 days upper and 2 days lower. Now I'm favouring a 3x/week full body routine, just because I'm building base with my running, biking and swimming and I found 4 days a week lifting to be too much. Whether you do 3 or 4 days a week is up to you and what you prefer, but definitely make sure you have lots of compound lifts in there...things like squat, bench, deadlift, etc. MalcKiera posted some great compounds.

Exercise: cycled couple of miles to pub and back : jogged to gym to warm up (5mins)Swim in the new pool for about 40 mins: 200m w/up, 200m leg/200m arm/ negative splits of 50m/75m/100m, then cool down

Social (Mountaineering Club) 2 pints lager and lime, two big handfuls of crisps

Food: porridge for breakfast + smoothie2 applesPot-luck lunch at work = left over risotto, some green salad, lovely fresh olive bread, vegan mushroom pate, raw veggies, 2 homemade brownies!Think I drank a can of coke today?Dinner: the end of the risotto plus lots of brocolli

Friday

Exercise: cycled about 3 miles total doing errands: GYM session was awesome - loads of weights (put details in later)

Food: Brunch: Beans on rye toast with falafel on the side!Snack: apple and smoothieDinner: bruschetta and lots of salad stuff from restaurant - more carb heavy than usual for me

Sunday

Exercise: nasty gym session - too icy to travel for a good run and body feeling a bit overloaded from all the food and drink and not enough sleep *yuck*10 mins X trainer: 60 mins treadmill (!!!!) just under 7 miles total: plenty of stretching to cool down

Felt ing up till about 20 mins into the run and then finally got it back!

Food:Brekkie: beans on toast (again!)Lunch: sandwich of some kind I think?Isotonic drink to shift some of the headache!Post-gym: 2 brownies - all gone now!Dinner: small portion rice pasta plus chilli

purple_mog wrote:I'm finding it seriously fascinating to see how mentally I've gone from doing weights just because I felt I had to, into really enjoying the slow steady movements and wanting to do more and more!

So - whats the convention on how to record sets/weights? pretty please

on you starting to enjoy weights. Nice one!

Okay, how "the" convention is I'm not sure, my own convention is sets x reps @ (or 'x') weight of type, i.e. your "Squats with dumbells: 2 x 10reps of 5kg per hand" in my "convention" would be "Squats: 2x10 @ 5kgs DB" or "2x10x5DB" if you want it even shorter. Hope that helps

My darling girl, when are you going to understand that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage. - Aunty Francis

so I totally failed at keeping any of my logs up to date over Xmas - BUT continued to eat really well, have lost another couple of pounds and have been getting at least 2 workouts in a week - though the snow has made things a bit tricky!

Most amazing was I went for a short hilly run on Xmas day, because I really felt like it! And two days later I ran over 13 miles in 2hrs 45mins which is by far the furthest and longest I have ever run

Still on track for the Hebden challenge which is a VERY hilly half marathon distance off road trail run - Saturday 23rd January, just trying to keep things ticking over at the moment and planning a longish (1 hour plus) run tomorrow if possible.

Hopefully I'll have the time to get back to posting a regular log and even contributing on some of the threads too!